1. Field
The present application relates generally to the operation and design of analog front ends, and more particularly, to the operation and design of matching networks for use in analog front ends.
2. Background
Beamforming transceivers having multiple antennas are typically utilized to transmit and receive signals over wireless links operating at millimeter (MM) wavelengths, for instance to transmit and receive signals at 60 GHz. Almost all of the beamforming transceivers require phase shifters and a power divider/combiner network. It would be desirable to share connections to the antenna, the phase shifter, and power divider/combiner network for both transmit and receive functions. However, to do that typically requires the use of switches that can be actuated to redirect transmit and receive signals. Unfortunately, switches have large insertion loss that results in less efficient transceiver operation.
Accordingly, what is needed is a way to avoid the insertion loss associated with switches used in analog front ends.